Video Review: Ariana Grande “Focus”

In an enclosed circle, Ariana Grande’s silhouette can be seen as she sits with back against the wall, her stiletto heels holding her up. With a lacquered blue nail with decorated with several white star, she touches her diamond pink lips. A weary expression follows, while the sky blue hair extensions take over the rest of the shot. On her cellphone, she writes “focus on me,” signed with a heart and her initials. She gives the camera a half-hearted wink. Let the awkward sexiness begin.

Still in the circle, she rubs her fishnet stockings and stands with her butt up in air, her chest down to the floor while her diamond pink lips mouth the lyrics. Inside the circle, she has crossed her legs, her one arm on each side, her body thinner than a package of Pixie Stix. She licks her lips and faces the camera yet again, the sky blue extensions piled on top of her head. Back at the circle, she lays down, her right leg reaching the top while her body is curved inside.

The circle locks on her position and starts to spin and multiplies itself 16 times. After she rubs in her body and has a couple silhouette shots, she moves her hands to the top, as if to press on it and the circle begins to spin and multiply again. A self-satisfied Grande smirks and inside the circle, she puts her hands over legs, resting.

On a ombre stage of lavender and sky blue, Grande, wearing a sequin embroidered custom corset and Samurai skirt, silver metallic Luchiny As Time Goes By pumps, custom pom-pom earring by Rio Warner and Tokyo Stylez silver-strewn wig , along with her dancers. the Grandettes, point and clap. There is more fabric in the wig and pom-pom earrings combined than the rest of the outfits. The Grandettes fare better with their lavender crop tops and short shorts.

She puts both her fingers to her head, bossing the audience to think. Inside a tiny, translucent box, Grande bends over and crawls around the floor. She lets her shoulder touch her face and pouts. She whips her hair around in the box while wearing black La Perla Allure Molded Bodysuit, a custom Brian Hearns patent leather skirt and Christian Louboutin Gazolina Over-the-knee boots. The single white stripe by the slit of the skirt gives it a sporty touch. It is by far the best thing about the video.

Back on the stage, she and the Grandettes point and clap again. She twirls her extensions as she stands in the box. A couple of the Grandettes dance in a circle around her, which totally surprises her. Meanwhile, a couple of women’s legs are caught in the lavender wall, trying to get out.

It’s selfie time on stage. Everyone takes their cameras out. Grande stays in the center, her phone on herself as the Grandettes quickly run around, wanting to get a good photo of her. As, Grande snaps her selfie the Grandettes take a picture of her taking a selfie. Hologram versions of Grande appear once she presses the camera button.

She and the Grandettes have moved to a cream-colored stage and changed into white-starred bodysuits with long, matching gloves. Grande’s outfit varies, though. It has a short skirt and a halter cut. On the empty ombre stage, Grande lies down, her legs dangling in the air and then crawls again on her hands and knees. Inside the box, she does crazy dance moves while chewing her lips in her individual shots.

She and her dancers have returned to the ombre stage. Everyone has been given a saxophone and they pretend to play. On the translucent stage, she does the splits and then is featured on the cream-colored stage, rolling on the floor in her white-starred bodysuit. In the tiny box, she’s on her hands and knees, begging for attention and then collapses. Her weary expression closes the video.

Rating: 2/5

Ariana Grande does what she’s told by the director and that’s it. It’s as though she can’t wait for it to be over and puts in the minimum effort. She’s pretty much the equivalent of a demoralized employee told she has to do the video-NOW—in order to save her career.